Fire of Albion
by SoaringGryphonProductions
Summary: A knight from Wales has arrived in Berk, but this is no ordinary knight nor does she fly on any ordinary dragon. I own no rights to this, but my OC characters Ciara the Black and Glenda of the House of Bowen are my characters. Rated T for violence, knights and Welsh Dragons.


**Dragons- Riders of Berk: The Fire of Albion**

**Chapter 1- '********Ciara**'

I have lived in these rolling hills my entire life, and since then there has been one thing here that has remained constant, a dragon. Since becoming the head of the local garrison of soldiers in my village, it has become necessary to keep such a beast at bay. That mostly comes from the sacrifice of a lamb at the entrance to the mountains in the north. I am Glenda, Glenda of the House of Bowen **(voiced by Sarah Millican)**, and this is the tale of how I came to meet my best friend.

"That monster has done _nothing_ but plague our village, soon we will have no flocks to sell to our neighbors, that filthy dragon must be slain!" cried out Alwyn, one of the village elders. It was that time of the year when the village has it's yearly meeting. As usual, the dragon becomes part of the conversation with many supporters in agreement that the dragon must be killed. There had to be another way to solve, and I took my turn to speak up as captain of the village guard.

I stood up and raised my hand to gain permission from the head of the village to spoke, and he granted it, "Alwyn, Old Man, though it is true, the dragon has not threatened our village, or eaten any of us," I spoke up, yet old folk are hard to reason with as they firmly embedded in their beliefs. I held my sword by it's grip, "I feel there has to be another way to reason with it, if we kill the dragon there will be more of them, and this village does not have the power to fight them off,"

"I have known you since you were a nipper, Glenda, and I have watched you grow into a strong, healthy woman and head of our guard on that, but you are as impulsive and outspoken as your father, what do suggest we feed her? Our children?!" Alwyn blasted back pointing his cane at me. The mothers of the village held their children tight, "don't encourage that foul harpy to do anymore damage than it has already been done," I sighed having to listen to the Old Man's harsh words.

For longest time before I met her, none of the villagers would ever dare venture into the mountains because of her. They would always take the long road around the mountains in order to get to the other village. The journey would often take a week or more. Something had to be done, and I had a plan. I did not want to kill the dragon as the villagers requested, lit torches and all. There made to be a way to reason with the 'Queen of the Mountains' as she is called by the villagers.

As I put on my armor and had my longsword at my side and shield at the ready, I knew I may not make it out of this alive. I reassured the soldiers that there was no need to worry. Thus I left the safety of the village walls and made my way to the mountains. Crossing the rivers and walking through the forest trails. My plate and chainmail armor clinked and rattled with my every movement. For days, I ventured further and further into the mountains and further from my home village.

At last, I made it to the entrance of the mountains. From the entrance to a cave, I felt a blast of warm air coming from inside, "This must be it," I said to quietly myself. I heard the echo of my voice as I unsheathed my sword, willing to take any chances. I entered the cave, but there was no dragon to be found. As if my armor was not making enough noise, the sounds of gold coins and jewels came with my every footstep. I looked around at what appeared to be the ruins of an old city.

There was gold and jewels everywhere, hills of them as far as I could see within the caverns. Suddenly, I heard a trembling and saw a shimmer of thousands upon thousands of gold pieces as a great form arose from the mountains of treasure. I hid behind a stone column, grasping the grip of my sword with both hands. I looked to see what came out, and it was the dragon. _"I don't take well to having my nap disturbed,"_ said the dragon, I could hear a voice, but her mouth didn't move.

"_If you're intent is not to kill me, I just might be merciful to you_," The dragon's voice sounded female, it was like she was speaking into my mind. I was finding it hard to believe her, and put my sword back in it's scabbard. I was about to reveal myself to her, but she found me first, "_there you are..._," She said almost purring like a cat. I looked at the majestic creature. She was about 18 feet tall, and weighed, at my best guess, around 471 stone. She was quite a sight to behold.

Her scales were as black as coal with a pointed snout and copper eyes. There were rows of spikes and two sets of great horns that would make the deer green with envy. There was no doubt, this was a Cambrian Blackguard. Her frame was toned and muscular from her neck to her thighs. She had long claws, and a long tail with a three-spiked spade, "_Well now a knight? I might just have to take back my word_," From her mouth came a blast of flame which I dove out of the way to dodge.

I had to convince her that my intentions were true to my word. The great dragon was fast for it's size and blocked the exit, "_Leaving so soon_?" the dragon asked, so I did what I had to do. I took my sword off from my belt, and laid it down at the dragon's claws. The dragon nodded to my actions, but she shook her head, "_take it...a knight is not without a sword, am I correct in saying_?" The dragon seemed obligated to let me live. I nodded a 'yes' to her, "_well...speak up I don't bite,_"

"Now I wonder if you expect me to believe that, O Dragon?" I replied back with a smile, the dragon laughed a light titter and it moved forward, presumably to get a better look at me. I stood my ground, yet I hoped in the back of my mind that she would not eat me. She sniffed at me and circled around. Not every knight in the land has a sense of humor, or even a sense of chivalry. They only fight for fame and glory, good for a short while and then it becomes quite meaningless.

"_If you can lay your sword at my claws to convince me, then you can heed my word that I will not harm you_," said the dragon, she made a fair argument in her words, "_now then, what is your business in seeing me, knight?_" she asked, wanting to get down to the point of my visit. It was the village that wanted her dead, and not me. A creature like this deserves peace. I hope the dragon would understand my dilemma, "_I can tell by your scent you come from the village, what is your name?"_

"I am called Glenda, Glenda of the House of Bowen," I replied resting the hand on the pommel of my sword, seeing that there was nothing to fear from the dragon besides it's teeth, claws, breath, wings and tail. This dragon was anything but a lumbering beast. The dragon laid down on her side to get comfortable. She was armored above and below from her scales which are stronger than any metal to the lower plates, 7 on the neck, 7 on the chest, and 21 to the tip of her tail.

"_Oh...lovely name...a strong name for a young shield maiden_," said the Dragon **(voiced by Kate Blanchett)**, before I could ask her, she answered my question, "_I am called Ciara_," I thought it best to get straight to the point of me coming to Ciara's cave. I could smoke coming from her nostrils, and small flames. I sighed as I sat down on the piles of gold, "_don't bother...I know why you are here, you HAVE come to slay me, but it is not you that wants to, it's your village, I understand your dilemma_,"

"I request that you stop reading my mind," I said to Ciara, though I must admit she is good at it. She is right. I don't want to kill her, but the village does. Ciara nodded in agreement, but my best guess is she enjoys it. I began to realize something. I was making a friend with Ciara, an unusual one but a friend no less. Then an idea came to mind that I thought could help, "I hear tales tell of a village far to the east of here, a village where dragons and humans live together in harmony,"

"_You speak of Berk?_" Ciara asked, I nodded 'yes' to her question. Ciara scratched her chin at the thought, "_our best chances of getting there is if we fly by night_," The only question now is how to get a dragon this big out of the country. I knew there would be nightwatchmen out in the evening, "_my question to you is why help me, Glenda of the House of Bowen?_" she asked crossing her front legs. This time i wanted to tell it to her straight, and not have her read my mind like she does.

"A creature such as yourself deserves peace, away from those who would try to harm you," I replied as I approached her, "and I am willing to help you achieve that," with that I saw that the night had come, "I suggest we head north first to avoid the village guard, and then head east," Ciara peered her head out and followed me out of the cave. I looked out at the valley seeing the lights of the village as Ciara came out of her cave. Her thundering footsteps nearly shook me off my feet.

I also knew that my time had come, not to pass on to the next world but to see the world for what it is. i left my sword at the cave, and pulled out another from the heaps of gold. I climbed onto Ciara's back, 'If I can ride a horse, I can ride a dragon' or so I thought. Ciara was more beautiful and graceful in flight than any horse that galloped across the land. I have heard tales of dragons from other parts of this world. I would like to see for myself if those stories happened to be true.


End file.
